diff --git a/src/thread_manager.ts b/src/thread_manager.ts
index fd37c5d6b..3d8d47976 100644
--- a/src/thread_manager.ts
+++ b/src/thread_manager.ts
@@ -208,7 +208,9 @@ export class ThreadManager<SCG extends ExtendableGenerics = DefaultGenerics> {
         },
       }));
 
-      const response = await this.queryThreads({ limit: Math.min(limit, MAX_QUERY_THREADS_LIMIT) });
+      const response = await this.queryThreads({
+        limit: Math.min(limit, MAX_QUERY_THREADS_LIMIT) || MAX_QUERY_THREADS_LIMIT,
+      });
 
       const currentThreads = this.threadsById;
       const nextThreads: Thread<SCG>[] = [];
diff --git a/test/unit/threads.test.ts b/test/unit/threads.test.ts
index 1d420f419..d4c31f324 100644
--- a/test/unit/threads.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/threads.test.ts
@@ -1099,6 +1099,14 @@ describe('Threads 2.0', () => {
       });
 
       describe('reload', () => {
+        it('reloads with a default limit if both threads and unseenThreadIds are empty', async () => {
+          threadManager.state.partialNext({
+            threads: [],
+            unseenThreadIds: [],
+          });
+          await threadManager.reload();
+          expect(stubbedQueryThreads.calledWithMatch({ limit: 25 })).to.be.true;
+        });
         it('skips reload if there were no updates since the latest reload', async () => {
           threadManager.state.partialNext({ ready: true });
           await threadManager.reload();